50 Recipes That Celebrate The 50 States

There really is no straightforward American cuisine. The south brings meaty barbecue, Mexican influences, and Gulf Coast goodies, the West serves California's creamiest avocados and Pacific salmon, and the whole country is overflowing with global influence from immigrants. To celebrate each and every cuisine, below are 50 recipes to represent the 50 states:

Hector Sanchez

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Alabama

The Alabama Lane cake originated from Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, and has become a true symbol of Southern culture. An Alabama native won an 1898 county fair baking competition with the recipe, and now the layered cake is the state's official dessert.

Arkansas

Pecans are a signature staple of American cuisine, and are especially popular in the south. They are the official state nut of Arkansas, Alabama, and Texas, though Arkansas is specifically known for pecan production.

California

Considering the hefty price and a short life span, avocados have taken America by storm. Californians in particular love the creamy fruit, and the government declared avocados the state's official fruit in 2013.

Colorado

There's no state food in the mountainous state, but there is an official state cactus. The claret cup cactus takes the title, and the plant gives some true Southwest flavor to slaws and Tex-Mex dishes.

Delaware

Florida

Travel to Key West and you'll have key lime pie so sweet and silky, you won't ever consider ordering anything else. The staple is Florida's official state dessert, with a light yellow color instead of a green hue from food coloring.

Georgia

Originally a Native American staple, grits can be found all over the south and were established as Georgia's state prepared dish. We love them sweet or savory, but nothing quite compares to an old school shrimp and grits plate.

Hawaii

Hawaii doesn't have any state declared foods, but rumor has it that coconut muffins are the hottest bakery item on the island. We love the tropical flair coconuts bring to the palate, and you can jazz it up with coconut icing or glaze.

Indiana

The sugar cream pie has become such a staple in Indiana, many refer to the official state pie as a Hoosier pie. Made with simple ingredients like sugar, cream, and flour, the pie is said to have originated by Amish cooks in the 1800's.

Iowa

Iowa takes food on a stick to a whole new level. The Iowa state fair is known as the largest state event in Iowa, and from the 200 food stands on display you can purchase 70 items to eat off of a stick.

Maine

Maryland

Blue crabs are freshest from Maryland waters, so it's only fitting the official state food of Maryland is crab. Smother crab cakes in hollandaise for a play on eggs benedict, or fry them up and enjoy them sandwich style.

Michigan

The official state game animal of Michigan is the whitetail deer, so we assume they're cooking up quite a bit of the meat. Though venison isn't super popular throughout the states, it has a similar flavor profile to beef tenderloin.

Mississippi

Mississippi mud pie isn't an official state dessert, but it's definitely associated with the Southern state. With more chocolate than anyone should have in one sitting, a slice will be something to remember.

Missouri

Montana

Similar to blueberries, huckleberries grow in abundance in the chilly state. Though there aren't any state fruits in Montana, most locals find themselves enjoying these berries straight or in baked goods.

North Dakota

The chokecherry is the official state fruit of North Dakota, and it has us curious what the fruit even tastes like. If you can get your hands on the mystery fruit, swap it into your favorite cherry recipe.

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Philly cheese steaks and Hershey's chocolate are Pennsylvania's pride and joy, but the chocolate chip cookie is the highest contender for the official title of state cookie. There's some debate over who will take the name, and sugar cookie and oatmeal chocolate chip are still in the running.

Rhode Island

South Carolina

As the state with the second highest collard greens production, they became South Carolina's official state vegetable. This veggie is often stewed with southern classics like bacon or on the side of barbecued pork.

South Dakota

The German dessert Kuchen is the official state dessert of South Dakota, celebrating the German heritage in the area. It's a versatile dessert that's a little fruity and a little cake-like, so we picked our favorite.

Texas

The state that does everything bigger and better has tons of state declared foods, but a good Texas chili really takes the cake as one of the many official state dishes. Serve with chips for quality dipping, and whatever toppings you please.

West Virginia

Honey crisp apples are so delicious, West Virginia changed apples as their state fruit to specify golden delicious apples as the official state fruit. The variety holds their shape well in baked goods, and are a little extra sweet.

Wyoming

The American buffalo runs wild in Wyoming, and the furry giant is the state's official state mammal. Bison is especially popular for dinner up north, and we picked our favorite way to eat it: burger style.